Alan “Gumby” Marques has been training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since 1996 and is a 3rd degree black belt under Ralph Gracie. One of the early black belt promotions, Ralph thought so much of Gumby that he actually awarded him his own belt!
Gumby co-founded OntheMat (OTM Media in 1997) and got to travel the world filming, promoting and training Jiu Jitsu, working with major events and organizations such as the IBJJF, ADCC, Grappler’s Quest, World Grappling Games and many other large and local promotions. He’s gotten to train, sponsor and befriend many legends of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including conducting the last interview with one of the founders of the art
After years of instructing at Ralph’s academy, including many of the first day students, Gumby received Ralph’s blessing to open Heroes Martial Arts in 2009, where he has since taught thousands more students and graduated (18 currently) black belts himself, many of who also instruct and have gone on to run their own programs!
After all these years Gumby is still as in love with Jiu Jitsu as the first day he encounter it and is happy to share with the world.